Improved door-fastener



UNITED STATES APATENT OFFICE.

ELLIOTT H. CRANE, OF JONESVILLE, MICHIGAN.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 16.115 l, datedFebruary 2l, 1865.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, ELLIOTT H. CRANE, of Jonesville, in the county ofHillsdale and State ot' Michigan, have invent( d a new and usefulImprovement in DooeFasteners; and I do hereby declare that the fillowingis a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enableothers skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, inwhich- Figure l is a plan view of my improvement. Fig. 2 is a sidesectional elevation ofthe same.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

This invention pertains to the class of removable or portable fastenings for doors which are provided with a claw to penetrate the side orjamb of the door-frame.

A is a thin bar or plate, of suitable metal, having' one extremitybentup, cut, and sharpened into the form of claws or teeth a a, asshown. The opposite extremity ofthe bar or plate A has an oblong`opening or slot, b, in which movesa pivoted button, B, oftriangularform,pivotcd near its back end at c, as shown. The button B is roundedat its front end. Upon one side, at its rear or pivoted end, said buttonB has a projecting ear, d, upon which bears the free end ofa spring, C,the other end of which is attached to plate A. The spring C is arrangedor located side by side with the button B in the slot a, as shown, andthe pressure of the spring upon the ear d tends to push and keep thebutton upon one side of plate A, or in the locked position, as shown inthe drawings.

E represents the door, and F the jamb or door-frame. In using myinvention, the claw or teethl a c are forced by the closing of the.

door into the jamb F, and thedoorvas it closes pushes the pivoted buttonB aside, as indicated by red lines; but as soon as the door has passedthe button, the spring C, acting upon the ear d, causes the button B toHy back across the door, and prevents it from again being opened untilthe button B has been moved aside for that purpose. This device istherefore self-locking. The spring C also serves the additional purposeof preventing the door from being opened by any person on the outsidethereof.

Devices of this kind are used by travelers and others, as a temporarylock or fastening upon doors not otherwise rendered secure. The buttonsare not provided with springs, and their construction is such that a fewrepeated blows, shakes, or pressures imparted to the door will have theeffect to cause the buttons to move aside far enough to permit theopening of the door; but by the use ot' my improvement the door lcannotthus be opened, because the spring C serves to keep the button always ina locked position, which no shaking, blows, or pressure upon the oppo.site Aside ofthe doorcan disturb. My fastening is therefore not onlyself-locking, but it is also much superior in the matter of security toany device ofthe kind with which I am acquainted.

I do not contine myself to the particular form of parts here shown, norto any particular kind of spring, as a coil-spring and other forms mightbe used to operate the button B with equal success. y

Having thus described my invention, Iclaim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- The combination of the segmental latchpiece B,vibrating on a pivot within a slot of the plate A and actua-ted by thespring' C, by which, the plate being fastened in positior, the closingdoor forces back the latch-piece, which is forced to return vwhen theedge of the door has passed it.

ELLIOTT H. CRANE.

Witnesses ANDREW P. HOGARTH, J AMEs H. WADE.

